Ty Rattie finishes his career with a WHL record 50 playoff goals (Don Denton, The Canadian Press)

Where once their situation couldn't be direr, now the Portland Winterhawks could not be much higher. Paced by Ty Rattie scoring a hat trick to in his final Western Hockey League game to set a new league record for career playoff goals, the Winterhawks beat the Edmonton Oil Kings 5-1 on Sunday to wrap up a six-game Ed Chynoweth Cup victory.

It's a long time coming for the Winterhawks, not solely by virtue of having lost the two prior finals to the Oil Kings (in seven games in 2012) and Kootenay Ice (in five in 2011). Portland is not the most popular team in WHL circles these days, yet no so long ago it was the most pitiable. Less than five years ago, it was at such a low ebb competitively and commercially that it was considered "a rescue operation" which could have ended up being the team that fulfilled the Dub's desire to put a team in Victoria.

Wilson had 17 points in 12 playoff games this spring for Plymouth (Keith Skarocic, The Associated Press)

For a hockey parent, little is so affirming as seeing a son debut in the National Hockey League, especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Plymouth Whalers wing Tom Wilson has only seen spot duty in his two games with the Washington Capitals during their first-round series with the New York Rangers.

However, it's a fair bet his father Keven Wilson's memory of the 19-year-old's first game has been enriched by a random act of kindness.

Camara has had game misconducts in 3 of his past 7 games (OHL Images)

As anticipated, the Barrie Colts will have to try to finish off the London Knights without star forward Anthony Camara. Following the Boston Bruins prospect's second charging major/game misconduct of the championship series for a check on London's Seth Griffith, which was also his third ejection in the past two rounds, the Ontario Hockey League suspended Camara for the balance of the championship series after a blindside collision with London's Seth Griffith. This comes with London seemingly have put the pressure back on Barrie after fighting off the first match point with their win Friday, although the Colts won convincingly in both of their home games of the series.

The OHL rationale:

— Unsuspecting player
— Vulnerable opponent
— Blindside hit
— Player not in possession of the puck

St. Croix (right) scored the Oil Kings' final two goals on Friday (The Canadian Press)

No. 1 star: Michael St. Croix, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Who but the Oil Kings' career scoring leader to extend the defending champions' season for another 48 hours? St. Croix (2G-1A, +3) scored twice on broken plays, the second 7:24 into overtime to give Edmonton a 3-2 Game 5 win and deprive the Portland Winterhawks of a chance to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup on home ice.

The Oil Kings, who got 49 saves from star goalie Laurent Brossoit, dug in like the championship team that they are in front of a raucous Rose Garden crowd of 10,947. They were dead even at 1-1 in the third period when Portland goalie Mac Carruth (27 saves on 30 shots) got caught out of his net playing the puck. Overage Dylan Wruck(3A, +3) pounced and centred to St. Croix, who made a backhand move to avoid being blocked by a defenceman and gave the Oil Kings the lead. Brendan Leipsic forced overtime with 5:55 left when his backhand hit an Edmonton stick and deflected over Brossoit.

On they went to a wide-open overtime. Just past the seven-minute mark, St. Croix tried a centring pass to T.J. Foster, but it hit a stick and ricocheted back to him. The Winnipegger reacted quickly, firing a shot past Carruth. The gamesheet credited St. Croix with all three goals. There was some indication the first Oil Kings goal might be changed to Foster.

Martin Frk takes a picture during the Mooseheads celebration (Andrew Vaughan, The Canadian Press)

In a perfectly Maritime moment few could have imagined when they were in the cellar three years ago, the Halifax Mooseheads have become the first team to qualify for the upcoming Mastercard Memorial Cup, joining the host Saskatoon Blades.

With their emphatic 5-1 win that sealed a 4-1 President's Cup final win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, the Mooseheads matched the 2012 Saint John Sea Dogs' fate of nearly running the table in the playoffs. With their 16-1 post-season, they became the ninth team to go through the QMJHL post-season with only one loss.

Halifax hit hard times from 2008-09 through 2010-11 when it missed the playoffs twice in a row and also finished fourth-last in the 18-team QMJHL. But a rebuilding program centred around 17-year-old top prospects Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon and Czech scorer Martin Frk changed the culture in the Nova Scotia, leading to a dominant season and Friday's celebration at a sold-out Halifax Metro Centre.

Anthony Camara is a Boston Bruins third-round pick (OHL Images)

Anthony Camara might tempted fate once too often, which could mean the Barrie Colts lost lost more than their first chance to oust the London Knights on Friday.

The rough-hewn future Boston Bruin has already been suspended once for a over-the-line play during Barrie's playoff run; Camara also eluded suspension after a charging major/game misconduct earlier in the OHL final. During the third period of the Knights' Game 5 win in the OHL final, Colts left wing Anthony Camara, the collaborator on many Mark Scheifiele-authored bits of brilliance during the playoffs, received his second charging major/game misconduct of the series. After coming out of the penalty box, Camara flattered an apparently unsuspecting Seth Griffith, a fellow Boston Bruins prospect.

Sportsnet's John Shannon reported on-air that the OHL will rule Saturday morning on Camara's status for Game 6 back in Barrie. It doesn't seem that bad when taken on its own, especially since Griffith's head does not appear to be targeted. Granted, saying that might be muddying the waters. The possible impact on Griffith, the Knights' best 19-year-old scorer, and the depth of Camara's file at the OHL office will be viewed as factors.

From Ryan Pyette:

[Knights coach Dale] Hunter said Griffith was being evaluated by team doctors.

“He [Camara] hits like that always when we’re up three goals,” Hunter said. “It’s a cheap shot. He wasn’t even looking for it and he hit him. He knew what he was doing. He went after Max (Domi in London’s Game 2 win) and now, he went after Seth to try to hurt him and put him out of the series.”

Camara wasn’t suspended for the Domi hit.

Barrie coach Dale Hawerchuk doesn’t think his top-line forward should be disciplined for this one, either.

“He wasn’t trying to hit [Griffith] at all,” Hawerchuk said. “He was going for the puck [straight from getting out of the penalty box]. He tried to get out of the way actually and go around him. Griffith turned right into him. I think he got tossed pretty quick. I was surprised. Obviously, Griffith didn’t see him and there was a head-on collision.” (London Free Press)

Dale Hunter says doctors are looking at Seth Griffith. Called Camara hit a “cheap shot”.

— John Matisz (@Metro_JMatisz) May 11, 2013

@lazyboyy in fairness, Hunter said he'd know best because he got suspended for similar hits during his playing days.

— John Matisz (@Metro_JMatisz) May 11, 2013

With the championship trophies in the buildings for all three games on Friday, Buzzing The Net will host a very special episode of the Chatravaganza on Friday at 7 p.m. ET/8 p.m./4 p.m. PT.

Please join Cam Charron, Terry Doyle, Sunaya Sapurji, Neate Sager and a cast of many at 7 ET, when Game 5 of the Barrie Colts-London Knights OHL final series begins on Sportsnet One. The Colts have the Knights in an unexpected 3-1 series deficit. To the east, the Halifax Mooseheads have their first opportunity to close out the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and bring Nova Scotia its first President's Cup title. Out west, the Portland Winterhawks also have a chance to wrap it up on home ice against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

See you tonight. Bring your own peanuts.

Vince Trocheck was a runaway winner of the OHL's outstanding player award (Rena Laverty, Plymouth Whalers)

In a season where junior hockey operators faced unique circumstances due to the lockout-delayed NHL season, perhaps it's fitting the OHL's top performer is Vince Trocheck, who had to change on fly midway through the year.

Cats have nine lives; the Florida Panthers centre-ice prospect led three during his player-of-the-year campaign. Veteran leading the young Saginaw Spirit by example in the first half of the season. Energy guy for gold-medal-winning Team USA at the world junior championship in far-flung Ufa, Russia over the New Year. Last but not least, offensive catalyst for the Plymouth Whalers while making a successful push to lead the Ontario league in both points (109) and plus-minus rating (+49) while leading Plymouth to the West Division title. That made the case for the 19-year-old centre to be a landslide winner in media balloting for the OHL's Red Tilson Trophy as the league's outstanding player. It is the second year in a row the honour has gone to a Florida prospect from the Pittsburgh region. London Knights goalie Michael Houser won in 2012.

"It's been hectic, it was a long season," said Trocheck on Thursday. "Starting off in Saginaw with the group of guys I've been with for three years. Going to world juniors in Russia and being able to have that experience, just being able to be on that team was a honour. To win a gold medal was an unbelievable experience helped me develop a lot. And then getting traded to Plymouth and having a new team for the first time in four years in the OHL.

"I didn't really know what to expect. That team welcomed me with open arms. Mike Vellucci was a great coach for me. All three teams I was on this year, Saginaw, USA and Plymouth, it helped me a lot."